These questions about M&M's first edition were posed to Steve Kenson--and then he answered them! Steve's now providing official answers to second edition questions, but we've archived this forum for you to search.

If I have super-strength (duration permanent by default) with leaping (duration instant by default) and protection (duration permanent by default) as extras, and then take the innate extra for super-strength, do valid sub-powers (i.e. protection) inherit that innate, or must I buy it separately for them?

One of my fellow players alleges that every sub-power inherits valid extras from its parent power. I countered that this is not a benefit listed on page 56, wherein the effects of "nested" power seem to be exclusively defined as the following:

1) Sub-powers cost 1 pp less per rank to purchase.
2) Use of the drain power against a parent power simultaneously drains ranks from all sub-powers.

I also pointed out that it would be possible to gain disproportionate benefit from broadly-appllicable extras if they are inherited by placing them in a root power. For instance, applying the Duration extra to an Energy Field that also has the Energy Blast extra would then provide an Energy Blast with a duration of concentration as well as providing a damaging field that endures even while unconscious.

So, ultimately, how does the inheritance of extras work?
Do you:

1) Have to purchase the same extra multiple times if you wish it to apply to sub-powers taken as extras.

Nephilpal wrote:If I have super-strength (duration permanent by default) with leaping (duration instant by default) and protection (duration permanent by default) as extras, and then take the innate extra for super-strength, do valid sub-powers (i.e. protection) inherit that innate, or must I buy it separately for them?

... and right here is a reason why extras don't work this way in M&M 2e.

I generally recommend that sub-powers (as you put it) don't "inherit" extras, although in some cases you can say an extra "floats," allowing it to apply to any one sub-power at a time. This is a bit more complex, but also a little more flexible.